Where does “Ernstfall” come from?

Ernstfall (German) comes from German fäll, from Middle High German val, from Old High German val, from Proto-West Germanic fall, from Proto-Germanic fallaz, from German Falz, from Latin falx, from Proto-Indo-European dʰelg- — a cutting tool; to stick; needle, pin.

Ernstfall (German): emergency

Definitions

  1. emergency

Ancestry of “Ernstfall”, step by step

Ernstfall traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German fäll

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanfällsingular imperative of fällen; first-person...
2Middle High Germanvalfall; case
3Old High Germanvalfall
4Proto-West Germanicfalla fall; death, destruction, downfall
5Proto-Germanicfallaza fall; death, destruction, downfall
6GermanFalzfold; rabbet, rebate; seam
7Latinfalxsickle, scythe; a hook used to pull down walls
8Proto-Indo-Europeandʰelg-a cutting tool; to stick; needle, pin

via German ērnst

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanērnst
2Middle High Germanërnest
3Old High Germanernustserious
4Proto-Germanicernustuzseriousness; earnest; strength; solidity;...
5Proto-Germanicarnizefficient, capable, diligent, sure
6Proto-Indo-Europeaner-eagle, bird; loose, light, rare, sparse; to fail,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰelg-Every word from Latin falxEvery word from German Falz